Family Insurance: for Sam and Summer and their husbands (and any seeking family)

Little Things Are Big Things to God

  

Troubles piled on troubles, Aggravations on top. What’s going on here?  I didn’t sign up for all this. Much more and I just might lose my cool. I’m not perfect but I try to live right.

Okay, when all else fails, look up. I’ve learned that much. Listen instead of complaining. Okay, Lord. What did I do wrong now? No? It’s an answer to my prayer? Really???  I asked for ---- patience?  Oh yeah. Not how I expected the way you would teach me, but very effective.  . I remember now; I signed up for the course Following Jesus 101

My biggest problem may have been overlooking how small a problem impatience could cost me and others so much heartburn. Turning pages  in my Bible, my fingers stopped in Exodus telling about how drastic Your corrections can be when we lack faith and patience instead of remembering all the past miracles you brought into our lives—40 years wandering the desert, never able to enter Canaan, their promised land of milk and honey, just for their complaints and disobedience, tiny little things like building an idol to worship rather than the Almighty One who had shown them great mercy and promised great things for their nation. 

They could have learned this lesson painlessly if they had looked back –or ahead—at all the trouble brought into the world when Abraham tried to “help God” fulfill His promise of a son, a very important son, by improvising, bringing forth a son who has afflicted the world in every generation since and will continue to do so until this world ends in a war between his two sons. Abraham had failed to realize God’s promise included his wife, who much later gave him the son promised by God, who will eventually bring forth God’s son, the Savior of us all. 

How could there be a better example of the snowballing effects of rushing God instead of waiting prayerfully for His perfect timing, intruding in our impatience as we wait for His answers? 

A farmer shows us how to wait patiently for God’s timing: He plants a seed. Cares for it, waters the sprouting tree, removing any wild plants risking its growth and waits for the day he sees a tiny bud, then a small green fruit and finally a luscious juicy peach. He didn’t rush out and bite the small bitter immature fruit; he waited, exercised patience, endurance and faith until God provided fulfillment of perfect maturity of His plan and promise. His ways are not our ways. Wait upon the Lord.

God doesn’t need our help, just our cooperation and faith.